untitled

Greetings Riders,

Well, it looks like Ole' Man Summer gave us a break for Memorial Day Weekend, but is now ready to make up for it. The forecasts are for at least 110 degrees by the weekend. I'm one of those that am ok with riding up to about 105, but after that it seems to get pretty hot. But, as an avid rider, I have sucked it up many times after a day up North when coming back into the valley.

One thing that we all have to pay attention to and be extremely careful about this time of year is dehydration. Dehydration is a loss of water and important blood salts like potassium and sodium which can be very serious, especially when riding a motorcycle. It occurs when the amount of water in the body falls below normal, which, in turn, disrupts the balance of sugars and salts (electrolytes) in the body. A lot of us, especially those that are new to the area, don't really know that much about dehydration in general, and certainly not as it applies to riding. I didn't know that much about it either until about 5 years ago when Mr. Dehydration introduced himself to me as I was riding South down I-17 just North of Rock Springs. He made a believer out of me. It is one of those days that I won't soon forget, and it taught me a big lesson about not getting into that situation again. I, like a lot of other riders, had underestimated the impact of dehydration on my body.

I was coming back from Prescott in late June after a stop at Grand Canyon HD in Mayer. I was heading back to the Valley in the late afternoon heading into temperatures of about 107 degrees, which was of course much hotter on the Interstate. About 20 miles North of Rock Springs I started noticing that I had cotton mouth so bad that I couldn't have mustered up a spit for a $100 bill. A few miles later I noticed that my sweat glands were no longer producing any sweat. My arms and face were completely dry. Shortly after that I remember that I starting having blurred vision, almost like I was seeing stars followed by a dizzy feeling and weakness in my muscles, like I really wasn't in complete control. Not being an expert in dehydration, or for that matter ever experiencing it before, I didn't know clinically what was going on, but I had a pretty good idea that was what was happening.

My immediate problem was, I didn't have any water with me, and I was still about 15 miles from Rock Springs where I could get some. The closer I got to water the worse my symptoms were getting. More blurred vision, getting more unsteady and weaker by the mile. It was like when I started going downhill physically, it was a rapid decent and every mile I rode doing 75 mph in 107 degree temps with no windshield just seemed to be sapping every ounce of moisture out of my body. I was almost to the point that I couldn't even swallow and considered stopping and letting my riding buddy go get me some water. I wasn't sure that I was actually going to be able to make it. But I decided to focus while counting down each mile in hopes that I would soon get to water.

We finally made it to the gas station next to the Rock Springs Cafe. For me, that old place had never looked so good. It was truly an oasis in the desert. I promptly threw down the kick stand and headed to the cooler to make my claim on the biggest bottle of water I could find and downed it in two gulps. I followed that with a big bottle of Gatorade. It wasn't long until I was starting to regain some of my faculties while getting back to normal vision and able to think straight. Needless to say, this put a little scare in me and I learned my lesson without it turning ugly on me. Now when I am riding in the heat I pay attention to maintaining hydration in my body.

Now, what should you do to avoid what happened to me?
Here are some tips to keep yourself in good hydration all the time and while riding.

1. Keep the direct sun off of your skin. Wear a light colored long sleeve shirt over your arms and a helmet or a bandanna on your head. Exposing your skin to sun and wind is a double whammy that only increases fluid loss from your body. Wear generous sunscreen on exposed areas. Your brain is about 75 percent water, so anything you can do to keep your head covered is a good thing. A helmet can go a long way in preserving fluids in your body when it is extremely hot.

2. Pour water over your shirt. A good way to create a natural evap cooler for your body is to pour water over you arms, neck and the front of your shirt. While you are riding this provides a cooling sensation for your body.

3. Drink LOTS of water. You should be drinking at least 8 ounces of water every hour when riding and probably more. Sports drinks like Gatorade are also good as they replenish needed electrolytes as well as fluid. Caffeinated drinks such as tea, coffee, and soda pop, as well as alcoholic drinks, should not be considered as alternatives for hydration. In fact, caffeine and alcohol can actually contribute to dehydration.

4. Drink water BEFORE you are thirsty. Once you have gotten to the point that your mouth is bone dry, you are on your way to dehydration.

5. Take in more fluid than you are losing. If you are not making a trip to bathroom regularly, or your urine is a dark color, this means you are not getting enough liquids in your body. This is something to pay attention to daily, not just when riding.

6. A good idea for keeping you hydrated while you are riding is a CamelBak Hydration System. This is a 70 ounce pack that fits on your back with a tube that comes around for you to drink water while you are riding. Click Here to view. Click Here for some more ideas.

7. Symptoms of dehydration: Thirst, Dry Mouth, Dry Tongue, Fatigue, Dark Colored Urine, Infrequent Urination, Dry Skin, Rapid Pulse, Dizziness, Blurred Vision. Here is a good link for Preventing Dehydration.

With the humidity being as low as 4% on a daily basis right now. Dehydration can come upon you very quickly. Stay ahead of it by drinking plenty of water or sports drinks. As you are taking trips in or out of the Valley area, be sure and take water with you when you travel and make a note to drink some at every stop.

OCC In America Tour Update.

The OCC show went off as planned. Although, I wouldn't do another event of any kind on Memorial Day. There are too many people doing family things and travel. I will have some pictures next week in the newsletter. And for those that missed it, an entire show of American Chopper will be dedicated to this event that will air the end of August. It should be a good one as their live show was full of energy and the OCC Band was very good. I will also have pictures of the custom bike show that had some of the best bikes in area. Thanks to Kimmy and Bill of Biker Information Guide for their help in setting it up.

This Week's Bike Night Events

Tuesday Nights

Chester’s Harley Davidson Biker Night at the Tilted Kilt in Tempe! If you are looking for some fun on a Tuesday night, With 2 outdoor patios and plenty of excitement, This place is a good time! The Tilted Kilt is home to the best Scotch-Irish experience in Arizona, with an award-winning menu, classic pub fare, and signature Kilt items sure to please any palate—not to mention twenty four globe-spanning beers on tap! Biker Night Tuesdays also mean $3 Jack Daniels and half-price appetizers. And, with a Tilted Kilt Biker Night Card, you receive 15% OFF your total bill. So what are you waiting for? Come on down and have a craic with Chester’s Harley-Davidson! The Tilted Kilt is located at 660 W. Warner Rd. in Tempe, AZ. Just 1.5 miles East of I-10 on Warner Rd. 480-592-0102. Click Here for Map.

Thursday Night

Casey Jones Grill Bike Night. A valley favorite bike night for over 3 years. Ride in and sit out on the patio for what I call the Best Cheesesteak Sandwich in town. This thing melts in your mouth. They have 3 new pool tables, darts and foosball. Located in the Mervyns Shopping Center on the SE corner of 43rd Ave. and Thunderbird Rd. Casey Jones is a great place for a bike night featuring a large outdoor seating and over 150 people inside. And for those of you that want to watch a sporting event they have 50 TV's scattered throughout the restaurant connected to satellite to get any game you can think of. They have a full menu for lunch, dinner and a Happy Hour from 11:00AM - 7:00PM and a reverse happy hour from 10:00PM - 12:00 Midnight. $1.75 domestic bottles and $2.00 Jacks. There are always a lot of bikes showing up for bike night at Casey Jones Thursday night. Join them for open mic night on Wednesdays. Sunday. You can always count on lots of bikes here.

The Bike Night At The Billet Bar. Voted "BEST BIKER BAR IN PHOENIX" by New Times. There is no better place to watch all the Bikes ride down Scottsdale road than from The Billet Bar Patio. The Billet is ALWAYS packed with bikes Every Day. Stop by and take a look at the New Flamed Booths on the Paradise Patio. The new bars front and rear provide spacious seating, fresh air atmosphere, perfect temperature and courteous staff. The food is amazing and always the latest in cold libations await. You can sit at the back bar and watch your favorite TV on any of the seven big inch televisions. Play pool, listen to the latest music and socialize. The front patio seats over 75 people and is perfect for people watching on Scottsdale Rd. The Billet Bar is located right next to Genesis Custom Cycles on 3752 N. Scottsdale Rd. Check it out this Thursday night and all weekend long. Info: at 480-941-1876. Click Here for the New Billet Bar Page with pictures.

Every Saturday and Sunday

The "Hog Pen" at the Roadhouse Bike Weekend. Take a ride and stop by the "Hog Pen" at The Roadhouse, the Hottest New motorcycle patio in Cave Creek where every weekend will be Bike Weekend. Now Featuring a new Breakfast Buffet from 8am - Noon on Saturday and Sunday and Live Music on the patio every Sunday from Noon - 4pm! Grab a seat at the new Hog Pen bar rail and watch the bikes ride by. There is plenty of new concrete motorcycle parking right out front. CCR is located on Cave Creek Rd. in the heart of Cave Creek directly across from Harold's. It is a restaurant and bar that focuses on a broad menu of good food and has a large bar for socializing with your riding pals for a good time. It is built to look like something out of the 1800's, but it is brand new. Stop by this weekend for lunch, dinner or just to have a drink and take a look at the place. I can tell you that their hamburgers and steak fries are exceptional. Mrs. C. had the swordfish and said it was very good.

Live Music Every Weekend:

Friday: Live Music with "Easton Ashe" 9pm - 1:30am

Saturday: Live Music with "Easton Ashe" 9pm - 1:30am

Sunday Evening: Live Music with "Walt Richardson" 4-8pm

Click here for the Cave Creek Roadhouse website. 480-575-3098

Sunday

Sugar Daddy's Blues Biker Sunday Brunch.
Now is the perfect weather to be sitting out on the Sugar Daddy's patio, listening to Live Music while dining from the Brunch Menu. Live Music from 10am on the patio.
And Sunday Brunch Just Got Better! You now have 3 options to choose from.
Option #1: Eggs Benedict – Grilled English muffins, smoked ham, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce.
Served with your chose of fresh fruit or crispy potatoes. ($8) or Sugar’s Pancakes – You won’t eat pancakes anywhere else. Buttermilk pancakes served with butter and syrup. ($5)
Option #2: Can’t decide what to eat? How about an All-You-Can-Eat buffet for ONLY $12.
Option #3: Order off our regular menu.
Our 5,000 sq. ft. temperature controlled patio has six air conditioning units, misters, and plenty of shade. Sugar Daddy's patio, food and entertainment is becoming a regular Sunday stop. If you haven't tried it yet, give them a try. Complimentary coffee is now served. Make Sugar Daddy's Blues your stop on your ride down Scottsdale Rd. for Brunch or Lunch from 10am - 4pm. Enjoy live music from 10am - 2pm Or maybe just relax on the patio with your favorite beverage and enjoy the beautiful weather and watch the bikes roll down Scottsdale Rd. Click here to see the awesome pictures and details of Sugar Daddy's located at 3102 N. Scottsdale Rd. between Indian School and Thomas on the West side of the road. Stop by and check it out. A great place to hang out. Plenty of Bike Parking. If you have suggestions, email them at sugardaddysaz@aol.com . 480-970-6556.